CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A robbery attempt at a Harris Teeter store led to several people being sprayed with bear spray in south Charlotte on Sunday.
The incident happened at the Harris Teeter on Carnegie Boulevard, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Robbery suspects hit seven or eight employees with bear spray after a man tried to confront them for stealing, according to police.
Jacob Martinson, who works in the deli at the store, didn't see the incident but heard it.
"It was pretty quick, like I heard like a ruckus up front," Martinson said. "I heard like a loud banging noise. There was a woman shrieking. I ran to see what happened. By the time I got up there, it all passed, but there was a man unconscious up front."
Police say a man attempted to stop a robbery attempt at the store. He was pushed over during the incident and suffered a head injury, according to police. Officers said the man was not a Harris Teeter employee.
That man was in critical condition after the incident, but police say he is now stable after being transported to a hospital. Two others were also taken with minor injuries, according to Medic.
"I have seen shoplifting.," Martinson said. "Sometimes if they someone tries to stop them, they might yell or something. I've seen that happen, but nothing to this level."
Police are searching for three suspects, two females and one male. They left the scene in an unknown vehicle.
This incident remains under investigation by CMPD.
Note: An earlier version of this story stated that the man who attempted to stop the robbery was the person who sprayed the bear spray. This has been updated to reflect that a robbery suspect was the one who sprayed the bear spray.